Method of creating a photonic via using fiber optic

ABSTRACT

A photonic via is made in a substrate by making a hole in the substrate, heating the substrate, and inserting a fiber optic into the hole. In one embodiment, a lens can be made by applying a polymer on top of the photonic via and curing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The described invention relates to the field of optic integratedcircuits. In particular, the invention relates to a method of forming aphotonic via through a substrate.

2. Description of Related Art

Electronic components are placed on a shared substrate in multi-chipmodules (“MCM”). By packing a number of semiconductor devices in closeproximity to each other, this eliminates the need for individualpackages for each of the devices. Electrical performance is improved,and board space and cost are reduced.

In a conventional MCM, the devices are connected to a substrate and theelectrical connection among the devices is accomplished within thesubstrate, which may also be an integral part of the MCM package. One ofthe technologies used to connect the devices to the substrate is calledflip chip or control collapse chip connection (“C4”). With thistechnology, solder bumps are reflowed to make connection to the terminalpads on the substrate.

Photonic components, such as, but not limited to, array waveguides,amplifiers, couplers, splitters, and other devices for carryinglight-based (“photonic”) signals are manufactured using a differentprocess than that for semiconductors. Thus, electronic components andphotonic components are manufactured on separate substrates usingdifferent processes and then interfaced together.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a representation of a substrate having both electronic andphotonic components.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the process for making a substratewith both electronic and photonic components.

FIG. 3 shows a light source such as a vertical cavity surface emittinglaser (VCSEL) mounted to a substrate and employed to provide a photonicsignal.

FIG. 4 shows a method of making a photonic via comprising a fiber optic.

FIG. 5 shows a cross section of a fiber optic inserted into thesubstrate as described with respect to FIG. 4.

FIGS. 6A-6D show, in cross-section, an embodiment for making a photonicvia using deposition.

FIGS. 7A-7C show, in cross-section, a first embodiment for making awaveguide having an angled surface for redirecting a photonic signal.

FIGS. 8A-8E show, in cross-section, a second embodiment for making awaveguide having an angled surface for redirecting a photonic signal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a representation of a substrate 10 having both electronic12 and photonic 14 components. In one embodiment, the electroniccomponents 12 include a light source for generating a photonic signalfrom an electrical input. The photonic signal is transmitted to thephotonic components 14 on the other side of the substrate 10. In oneembodiment, a housing 16 may be used to cover one or more of theelectronic components, the photonic components and/or the substrate. Aheat sink 18 may be used to help cool the components.

In one embodiment, a light source such as an edge emitting laser (EEL)20 is used to produce a photonic signal. The EEL may be coupled via afiber optic 22 (also called an “optical fiber”) around the substrate 10to a waveguide 24 or other photonic component on the other side of thesubstrate 10.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the process for making a substratewith both electronic and photonic components. Because the photoniccomponents require elevated temperatures of up to 900-1100 degrees C.,the photonic side is processed first (box 102). It should be noted thatstandard semiconductor processes go up to approximately 230 degrees C.,above which insulative and passivation layers comprising, e.g,polyimide, may be damaged.

Processing of the photonic components may include creating a waveguide,which is described in more detail with respect to FIGS. 7A-7C and 8A-8E.After the photonic components are processed, the electronicinterconnections are made on the substrate (box 104). Electroniccomponents are attached to the substrate through solder and flip chip(C4) solder bumps.

FIG. 3 shows a light source such as a vertical cavity surface emittinglaser (VCSEL) 50 mounted to a substrate 10 and employed to provide aphotonic signal 60. The VCSEL 50 produces a vertical cone of light. Inone embodiment, the VCSEL is mounted on one side of the substrate usingthe flip chip (or C4) technology employing solder bumps. The VCSEL 50 islithographically aligned on the substrate to provide a photonic signal60 through the substrate to a photonic component such as a waveguide 64on the other side of the substrate.

In one embodiment, an angled surface 68 is used to re-direct thephotonic signal 60 from the VCSEL 50 through the waveguide 64 byreflecting the photonic signal approximately 90 degrees. In thisembodiment, the angled surface makes an approximate 45 degree angle withthe surface of the substrate and is part of the waveguide itself. Amethod for making the angled surface in the waveguide is described withrespect to FIGS. 7A-7C and 8A-8E.

A “photonic via” is employed to couple the light source with thephotonic component on the other side of the substrate. In oneembodiment, reactive ion etching (“RIE”) is used to make a hole in thesubstrate. RIE allows for anisotropic vertical etching. In the simplestembodiment, an air-filled photonic via couples the light source with thephotonic component. However, photonic vias can also be made out ofstandard optical materials including, but not limited to, glass, oxides,and polymers.

FIG. 4 shows a method of making a photonic via comprising a fiber optic.In one embodiment, a hole is made in a substrate using an etch or othermethod (box 202), then the substrate is heated (box 204). The holeexpands due to the temperature, and a fiber optic is then inserted intothe hole (box 206). When the substrate cools back to room temperatureand the hole shrinks, the fiber optic is held firmly in place. In oneembodiment, the substrate is heated to approximately 150-200 degrees C.,but the temperature depends on the coefficient of thermal expansion ofthe substrate and also depends on how well the fiber optic is held inplace after the substrate cools down.

FIG. 5 shows a cross section of a fiber optic 220 inserted into thesubstrate 222 as described with respect to FIG. 4. After the fiber optic220 is inserted into the substrate, the end of the fiber optic 220 maybe polished to provide a better optical coupling. A lens 250 can beadded as will be described later.

FIGS. 6A-6D show, in cross-section, an embodiment for making a photonicvia using deposition. In FIG. 6A, a hole or trench 232 is made in thesubstrate 230. RIE may be used to make the hole, as previouslydescribed. A cladding 236 is then deposited as shown in FIG. 6B. In oneembodiment, the cladding material is an oxide that is evenly depositedover the entire substrate to a predetermined thickness using chemicalvapor deposition (CVD). An optical core material 240 having a higherindex of refraction than the cladding material is then deposited andfills the rest of the hole, as shown in FIG. 6C. In one embodiment, theoptical core material is a polymer, but oxides may be employed also. Apolishing step can be applied to provide a better optical coupling forthe photonic via. Polishing may also be used to eliminate the claddingfrom the surfaces of the substrate as shown in FIG. 6D.

Additionally, the technique of FIGS. 6A-6D may be employed to not onlycouple components on opposite sides of a substrate but to couplephotonic components, one or both of which may be internal to thesubstrate.

A further enhancement to the fiber optic photonic via and the depositionphotonic via of FIGS. 4, 5 and 6A-6C is to form a lens to better directlight into the photonic via. One method of forming a lens is to applypolymer to the end of the photonic via. As the polymer is cured, a lens250 is formed, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6D. By modifying the amount ofmaterial used in the lens and the cure time. different shapes may beproduced.

In one embodiment, a light source such as a VCSEL having a wavelength ofapproximately 1550 nm is used to provide a photonic signal through asilicon substrate. Silicon is transparent to light having a wavelengthof approximately 1550 nm, so no physical via is needed. The “photonicvia” in this case is directly through the solid silicon substrate.

FIGS. 7A-7C show, in cross-section, a first embodiment for making awaveguide having an angled surface for redirecting a photonic signal.FIG. 7A shows a photonic via 302 in a substrate 300. The photonic viamay be made by one of the methods previously described.

FIG. 7B shows a layer of cladding 310 that is deposited on the substrate300. In one embodiment, the cladding is SiO₂ that is thermally grown onthe substrate 300 and then etched to be lithographically aligned to theedge of the photonic via 302. Alternatively, the cladding 310 could beformed by other methods of deposition and etching.

FIG. 7C shows a layer of optical core material 330 deposited over thecladding 310 and the substrate 300. In one embodiment, the optical corematerial 330 is deposited by high density plasma (HDP) deposition. Dueto the different heights of the substrate 300 and the cladding 310, theoptical core material 330 forms an angled surface 320 that makes anapproximate 45 degree angle with the substrate surface. In oneembodiment the optical core material 330 is glass, but it couldalternatively be a polymer or other material. The optical core material330 also forms a waveguide by trapping light that enters the sectionbetween the cladding 310 and the outside air 340. In one embodiment, theoptical core material of the angled surface and waveguide is either ofthe same material as that of the photonic via or has a similar index ofrefraction.

FIGS. 8A-8E show, in cross-section, a second embodiment for making awaveguide having an angled surface for redirecting a photonic signal.FIG. 8A shows a substrate 400 with a cladding 410 deposited on it. Aphotonic via 402 goes through the substrate 400 and the cladding 410.FIG. 8B shows a layer of optical core material 412 deposited onto thecladding 410 and photonic via 402. A mask 414 is then deposited on topof the optical core material 412, as shown in FIG. 8C. In one embodimentthe mask comprises silicon nitride, but other materials may also beused.

FIG. 8D shows the waveguide after an etch is applied which causes theoptical core material to form an angled surface 420. In one embodiment,a wet isotropic etch is employed; however, an isotropic dry etch mayalternatively be employed. The mask can then be stripped off usinganother etch, as shown in FIG. 8E. Because of the dual masks 414, twowaveguides each with its own angled surface is achieved. Of coursemaking a single waveguide and a single angled surface is also easilyachieved by modifying the mask layer.

The angled surfaces of FIGS. 7A-7C and 8A-8E are able to redirectphotonic signals from the photonic via into the waveguide, as wasdescribed with respect to FIG. 3. By lithographically aligning a lightsource with the waveguide, much time is saved and efficiency is improvedfrom manual alignment.

Thus, a method for creating a photonic via using a fiber optic isdisclosed. However, the specific embodiments and methods describedherein are merely illustrative. Numerous modifications in form anddetail may be made without departing from the scope of the invention asclaimed below. The invention is limited only by the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of making a photonic via in asemiconductor substrate comprising: making a hole in the semiconductorsubstrate; inserting a fiber optic into the hole; and heating thesemiconductor substrate to at least temporarily enlarge the holeimmediately prior to inserting of the fiber optic.
 2. The method ofclaim 1 further comprising: using an etching process to make the hole inthe semiconductor substrate.
 3. The method of claim 2 furthercomprising: using a reactive ion etch to make the hole in thesemiconductor substrate.
 4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:depositing a polymer on top of the fiber optic; and curing the polymerto form a lens over the fiber optic.
 5. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising: polishing an end of the fiber optic.
 6. A method of making aphotonic via in a semiconductor substrate comprising: etching a hole inthe semiconductor substrate; heating the semiconductor substrate to atleast temporarily increase a diameter of the hole; and inserting a fiberoptic into the hole of the semiconductor substrate while thesemiconductor substrate is still hot.
 7. The method of claim 6, whereinthe fiber optic is an optical core material enclosed in a cladding. 8.The method of claim 7 further comprising: forming a lens on top of thefiber optic.
 9. The method of claim 8 further comprising: depositing apolymer on top of the fiber optic; and curing the polymer to form thelens over the fiber optic.
 10. The method of claim 7 further comprising:polishing an end of the fiber optic.
 11. A method of making a photonicvia in a silicon substrate comprising: etching a hole in the siliconsubstrate; heating the silicon substrate to temporarily enlarge thehole; and inserting a fiber optic into the silicon substrate while thehole is temporarily enlarged.
 12. The method of claim 11 furthercomprising: polishing an end of the fiber optic.
 13. The method of claim11 further comprising: forming a lens on top of the fiber optic.
 14. Themethod of claim 13 further comprising: depositing a polymer on top ofthe fiber optic; and curing the polymer to form the lens over the fiberoptic.
 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the hole extends all the waythrough the semiconductor substrate.
 16. The method of claim 1, whereinthe hole extends only partially through the semiconductor substrate. 17.The method of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor substrate is silicon.18. The method of claim 1, wherein the inserting the fiber optic intothe hole further comprises: aligning an end of the fiber optic flushwith a surface of the semiconductor substrate.